After a strong opening episodeColumbo returned with a new caseinDeath Lends a Hand. This was the second of Season 1’s seven episodes and pitted Columbo against a private detectivein a twist on the traditional relationship between killer and investigator. In this show Gerry and Iain look at the key components and moments ofDeath Lends a Hand. Columbo shared centre stage in this episode with Robert Culp‘s Investigator Brimmer (first name unknown!). There was a similarly tight group of critical participants this time as there had been inMurder by the Book: Pat Crowley as the unfortunate Lenore Kennicut; Ray Milland as her widower, Arthur Kennicut and Brett Halsey as golf pro Ken Archer. Though he doesn’t have the silver screen resumé of episode 1’s director, Steven Spielberg, Bernard Kowalski was nonetheless a prolific contributor to both Columbo and to television of the era more generally. Creators Richard Levinson and William Link were the writers of this episode– the only time...